You answered your question right here. I think it happens to most of us, but when you're platooning, you either have someone reminding you not to do dumb shit, or you have backup.
Another thing that helps me when I'm playing solo and I'm being too aggressive, is run a really slow tank.

My top 3 tanks to grind when I'm not hooked up with you guys are the Churchill III, the Super Pershing, and the TOG. Good credit/xp grinders, and slow compared to their peers in battle. It's a good mix for me.